Heat stress can cause systemic physiological and biochemical alterations in living organisms. In reproductive systems, heat stress induces germ cell loss and poor quality semen. However, until now, little has been known about such a complex regulation process, particularly in the perspective of metabolism. In this study, serum, hypothalamus, and epididymis samples derived from male SD (Sprague-Dawley) rats being exposed to high environmental temperature (40 °C) 2 h per day for 7 consecutive days were analyzed using metabonomics strategies based on GC/TOFMS. Differentially expressed metabolites reveal that the energy metabolism, amino acid neurotransmitters, and monoamine neurotransmitters pathways are associated with heat stress, in accordance with changes of the three upstream neuroendocrine system pathways in the SNS (sympathetic adrenergic system), hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis (HPA), and hypothalamic pituitary testis axis (HPT) axis. Many of these metabolites, especially in the epididymis, were found to be up-regulated, presumably due to a self-preserving action to resist the environmental hot irritation to maintain normal functioning of the male reproductive system.
Echinacea purpurea extract, a traditional herbal food additive with dual-purpose of medicine and edible material, has been widely used for the treatment and prevention of various infectious diseases, especially for children, old aged and immunocompromised patients. Although there were numerous reports suggested E. purpurea possessed immunostimulatory and antibacterial effects in vitro, the mechanisms underlying remained to be elucidated. This study employed immunologic factors analysis, GC-TOFMS based metabolomics and 16S-rRNA-sequencing microbiome profiling technologies to explore the effects of E. purpurea on young rats, a physiological insufficient immunity status, by compared with pidotimod treatment on young rats and adult animals. E. purpurea treatment significantly increased IL-2, decreased IL-6 and affect immunoglobulins in the spleen of young rats, indicating its promotion of cellular immunity. Both the immunologic factors and the global metabolome of E. purpurea treated young rats were close to the status of mature individuals. Results of 16S-rRNA-sequencing of ileum content together with co-metabolism metabolites demonstrated that E. purpurea changed gut microbiota structure characteristically as a reducing Firmicutes phylum, especially Lactobacillus, and a rising Actinobacteria phylum including Bifidobacterium. The results were concluded that E. purpurea could potentially promote the maturation of immune and metabolism of immature rats, and also affect gut flora structure.
BACKGROUNDGroundwater is believed to possess many beneficial effects due to its natural source of various minerals. In this study, we examined the effects of natural Jeju groundwater S1 (Samdasoo™), S2 and S3 pumped up from different locations of Jeju Island, Korea, along with local tap water, on body weight gain, serum lipids and lipoproteins, and liver histopathology in high-fat diet-induced hyperlipidemic rats.MATERIALS/METHODSRats were randomly and equally divided into 6 groups. Different water samples were supplied to the hyperlipidemic rats as their daily drinking water and the widely-used anti-hyperlipidemic drug simvastatin was used as a positive control. Body weight, serum lipids and lipoproteins were measured weekly. Liver weight, liver index and liver histopathology were examined after the execution of the rats.RESULTSAfter drinking Jeju groundwaters for two months, S2 but not S3 significantly reduced weight growth and serum triglycerides levels and increased high density lipoprotein-C (HDL-C) without affecting total cholesterol or LDL-C. S1 and particularly S2 significantly reduced the severity of liver hypertrophy and steatosis. All Groundwaters had much higher contents of vanadium (S3>S2>S1>>tap water) whereas S1 and S2 but not S3 markedly blocked autoxidation of ferrous ions.CONCLUSIONJeju Groundwater S1 and particularly S2 exhibit protective effects against hyperlipidemia and fatty liver and hypothesize that the beneficial effect of Jeju Groundwaters may be contributed from blockade of autoxidation of ferrous ions rather than their high contents of vanadium.
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